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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. fork — in a road
  3. firm — decided
  4. last — final
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. last — finally
  7. cell — a phone
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. club — for golf
  10. chip — to eat
  11. club — for dancing
  12. firm — steady
  13. club — a group
  14. perch — the fish
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. last — to go on
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. cell — in biology
  24. chip — for betting

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com